‘From pet economics to pet cemeteries, this wonderfully engaging history explains the changing role of pets over two hundred years.’ Claire Langhamer, Director of the IHR, London
‘Chronicles the increasing integration of pets into British life in fresh and fascinating detail.’ Harriet Ritvo, MIT
This book, published in the UK in 2023, makes notable use of the Archive of Market and Social Research for its source material. Pet Revolution by Jane Hamlet and Julie-Marie Strange tracks the British love affair with pets over the last two centuries, showing how the kinds of pets we keep, as well as how we relate to and care for them, has changed radically. The book describes the growth of pet foods and medicines, the rise of pet shops, and the development of veterinary care, creating the pet economy. Most importantly, pets have played a powerful emotional role in families across all social classes, creating new kinds of relationships and home lives.
For the first time, through a history of companion animals and the humans who lived with them, this book puts the story of the ‘pet revolution’ alongside other revolutions – industrial, agricultural, political – to highlight how animals contributed to modern British life.
Date posted: 27th January 2023